Golf ball retriever



P 1966 L. J. CARLSON GOLF BALL RETRIEVER Filed March 16, 1965 ZE-SLE) J, CA/PZJON W 10% ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,273,927 GOLF BALL RETRIEVER Lesley J. Carlson, 2023 E. 29th, Des Moines, Iowa Filed Mar. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 440,083 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) This invention relates to golfing equipment and accessories and more particularly to a new and improved golf ball retriever.

One of the important objects contemplated herein is the provision of a golf ball retriever that may be utilized to recover the ball from the cup on a green, from ponds, from rough grass and in general to retrieve the ball from any lie without the necessity of stooping for such purpose,

A further object resides in the provision of a golf ball retriever which may be quickly, easily and securely engaged with a golf ball and from which the ball may be simply and conveniently removed.

Another object is to provide a golf ball retriever of the above class which can be easily mounted to and removed from the handle end of any golf club and which does not interfere with the normal use of the club. In this regard, the present invention may also be conveniently carried on the end of any suitable rod, pole or the like.

Other objects include a golf ball retriever as characterized that is economical to manufacture, efificient for its intended purpose, pleasing in appearance, free of any need for maintenance and capable of being exposed to moisture such as in ponds and to being easily deformed for reaching balls in cracks and crevices, for example, without any deleterious effects.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein, or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention on one end of a golf club shaft or rod and showing a golf ball engaged thereby,

FIG. 2 is a reduced side view of this golf ball retriever shown attached to a golf club shaft or rod,

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but shows a golf ball engaged for retrieval,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of this invention,

FIG. 7 is a reduced perspective of a golf putter showing this invention carried at the hand grip end of the shaft, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing this invention in use relative to a golf ball in the cup on a golf course green.

Referring to the drawings, this invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a handle engaging member in the form of a resilient collar 12 which may be easily slip-fitted over any suitable handle such as the hand grip end 14 of a golf club 16 for example, or over an end of any suitable pole or rod as may be represented by the numeral 18. Secured to collar 12 is a flexible and resilient strap 20 defining a loop 22 which bulges as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5 so that its widest diameter is greater than that of collar 12 and is of a size which will conveniently receive and retain an ordinary golf ball 24.

A second flexible and resilient strap 26, substantially smaller than strap 20, is also secured to collar 12 and defines a small loop 28 which extends only a relatively short distance into loop 22 but sufficiently far enough that it may be slightly depressed by a golf ball 24 when the ball is engaged as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Preferably, the position of straps 20 and 26 are such that loops 22 and 28 are disposed at right angles to each other but this is not required so long as strap 26 is arranged to intersect a portion of the loop area of strap 20. Thus, constructed and arranged, this retrieving device for golf balls may be used in the following manner.

Collar 12 is easily attached to the end of a golf club 16 or pole 18 as shown and is designed for a slip-fit frictional engagement therewith so that it can be simply attached and removed as desired. Loop 20 can then be engaged with a golf ball 24 as seen in FIG. 8 where ball 24 is shown in the cup 30 of a green 32, for example, and while the ball may he fully engaged within loop 22 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, this is not required because the resiliency of strap 20 is such that the ball 24 is securely enough retained for purpose of retrieval if it is only partially within the loop 22. In this regard, the ball retaining capacity of loop 22 is materially enhanced, however, by the small loop 28 which, because of its projection into the confined area of loop 22, provides a yielding and resilient means for urging the ball 24 against the inner side of loop 22 whereby the strap 20 is drawn into secure frictional engagement with the ball as best seen in FIG. 3

Retriever 10 may of course be used to pick up golf balls in ponds, crevices and the like and its chief purpose is to eliminate the necessity for stooping or bending over. In this regard it will be most useful on a golf course green and can be kept attached to the putter as seen in FIG. 7 since it does not in any way interfere with the normal use of this club. It can also be regularly attached to any other club, if desired, or carried in ones pocket or golf bag for use as needed.

From the foregoing, it is thought a full understanding of the construction and operation of this invention will be had and the advantages of the same will be appreciated.

It will be understood that the phraseology employed herein for the purpose of description and not for limitation and that modifications and changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit and purpose thereof.

I claim:

1. In a golf ball retriever,

a collar for removable attachment to a handle,

a strap secured at respective ends to said collar so as to define a golf ball encircling and retaining loop, and

a second strap smaller than the other strap and secured at respective ends to said collar so as to define a loop disposed to extend partially into said first mentioned loop and serving to abut any golf ball encircled by said first mentioned loop.

2. In a golf ball retriever,

a collar for removable attachment to a handle,

a strap secured at respective ends to said collar so as to define a golf ball encircling and retaining loop, and

a second resilient strap smaller than the other strap and secured at respective ends to said collar so as to define a resilient loop disposed to extend partially into said first mentioned loop and serving to yieldingly abut any golf ball encircled by said first mentioned loop.

In a golf ball retriever:

a resilient collar for removable slip-fit frictional attachment to a handle,

a first resilient strap secured to said collar to define a loop for encircling and frictionally engaging a golf ball, and

a second strap smaller than the other strap and secured at respective ends to said collar so as to define a loop disposed to extend partially into said first mentioned loop and serving to abut any golf ball encircled by said first mentioned loop.

4. In a golf ball retriever:

a resilient collar for removable slip-fit frictional attachment to a handle,

a first resilient strap secured to said collar to define a loop for encircling and frictionally engaging a golf ball, and

a second resilient strap smaller than the other strap and secured at a respective ends to said collar so as to define a resilient loop disposed to extend partially into said first mentioned loop and serving to yieldingly abut any golf ball encircled by said first mentioned loop.

5. In a golf ball retriever:

a handle engaging member,

a first resilient loop forming member carried by said handle engaging member for encircling and frictionally engaging a golf ball, and

a second resilient loop forming member carried by 20 said handle engaging member and disposed to extend 4 partially into the loop area of said first resilient loop forming member to yieldingly abut any golf ball engaged therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1921 Carpenter 29419.1 6/1928 ORourke 29419.1

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,453,5 1 1 5/1923 Mellor. 2,044,838 6/ 1936 Douglas. 2,432,906 12/ 1947 Klingler. 2,5 23,942 9/ 195 0 Ciambriello. 2,75 0,222 6/ 1956 Borah. 2,8l4,520 11/1957 Ruhland.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

C. H. SPADERNA, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A GOLF BALL RETRIEVER, A COLLAR FOR REMOVABLE ATTACHMENT TO A HANDLE, A STRAP SECURED AT RESPECTIVE ENDS TO SAID COLLAR SO AS TO DEFINE A GOLF BALL ENCIRCLING AND RETAINING LOOP, AND A SECOND STRAP SMALLER THAN THE OTHER STRAP AND SECURED AT RESPECTIVE ENDS TO SAID COLLAR SO AS TO DEFINE A LOOP DISPOSED TO EXTEND PARTIALLY INTO SAID FIRST MENTIONED LOOP AND SERVING TO ABUT ANY GOLF BALL ENCIRCLING BY SAID FIRST MENTIONED LOOP. 